Spinning top



ocr. 27,1925. 1,559,232

' J. J. ESPER SPINNING TOP Filed May 31 1924 III IIII l l I l 1 m Bumllllllllllllnmllll ATTORNEN- Paienieaoa. 27,1925.

i UNITED STATES y 1,559,232 PATENT OFFICE.

l.Torna J. ESPER, oF Dnannonn, MICHIGAN.

' j SPINNING "roP.

Application 'med may 31, 1924. se'rm No. 717,026.

To zZ-Z whomt't'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. Earns, c1t1 zen of the United States,residing at Dearborn, county of -Wayne, State 0I Michigan, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Spinnin description of the same,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

My v.invention relates to spinning tops n shown in the accompanyingdrawings and more particularly described in the following specificationand claims.

The object of this invention 1s to provide a top, simple in constructionand operation, embodying a spring concealed therein adapted to actuatethe top u on manually 'turning a knob fitted to a ongitudinally movablespindle rotatable within the top to which the-spring is connected.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for holding thespring under tension until manually released bythe operator shifting thespindle longitudinally upon settingthe top upon the floor, or othersupport on which he desires to spin the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide means by which the knobmounted on the end of the spindle may be automatically released fromoperative engagement with thespindle when the latter is shiftedlongitudinally to release the ratchet' wheel lcontrolling vthe rotationof the top, thereby overcoming any tendency to fracture the spring dueto the spindle being held by the operator against the expanding actionof the operating spring.

A further object-of the invention is to construct atop in which `theoperating and controlling mechanism are hidden within the body of thetop and the'knob mounted on the end of the spindle, thereby concealingthesev parts from view that they may not be tampered with and producinga toy of neat and finished appearance.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds the invention further resides in thecombination-and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed it being understood that changes maybe made in the precise embodiment Aof the invention herein disclosedwithout departing from thespirit of.

the same'.

In the drawings accompanying this speci- 'ication1 Tops, and declare thefollowing to be a JIull, clear, and exact Figure 1 is a verticalcross-sectional view through ythe top showing the spindle to which thedriving spring is attached and on which is mounted a ratchet wheelengaged by a dog whereby the operator may Wind the spring and securethesame while under tension.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the spindle shifted longitudinallythus releasing the ratchet wheel from the controlling dog that the topmay be actuated by the driving project through a longitudinal slotformed inthe spindle.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings:

A, A1 denote the body of the top preferably formed ofrsheet, metal,connected together by an overlapping or other joiritA2.

B, indicates a tapering pin provided with.

a cylindrical socket B1 vextending into? the body of the top. C,represents a longitudinally movable and rotatable spindle, the4 lower.end of which projects into the socket B1 ofthe pin B, its upperprojectingend being fitted with a knob D lfor manually rotating thespindle.

E, designates a helical spring, the outer end of which isriveted to thewall of the u top as indicated at e, its inner end projecting through alongitudinal slot C1 formed in the spindle C.

Instead of forming the spindle with an elongated slot to provide for itsmovement over the spring, any other suitable constriiction may, ofcourse, be employed for conecting the spring with the spindle.

F, denotes a ratchet wheel secured to the llO ,.G, that the latter maybe maintained in yieldable engagement with tlie' ratchet The spindle Cat its upper end is -relatively smaller in diameter at the. point whereit passes. through the lmob D, which is counterbored below to receive awasher C2 mounted upon the spindle and overlap- 4pingthe wall oftheknob.

C3 represents a washerI fitted to the upper end of the spindle andlodged in the counterbore formed on the upper' side of the knob. C4designates' a cotter pin eX- tending through the spindle 'and overlap-.-

ping the washer. The spindle within the knob is grooved as indicated atI to form a shoulder or ratchet tooth, to receive a balldog J,yieldingly forced to the limit of its movement by a spring K housedin abore formed in the knob.

L, denotes a sheet metal cap fitted to the knob adapted to receive Athethrust of vthe spring K, and to cover the upper counters-1* bore in theknob and the end of the Spindler; thereby giving the knob a lneat andinishedlf; .appearance Having now indicated the several `arts byreference letters the construction an op.- eration of the device will bereadily linderstood.

To wind the top the operator grasps the` body portion in one hand landthe knob in the other, pulling the spindle outwardly until the ratchetwheel F contacts with the inner wall of the top, as indicated in Figure.1, it isvthen in position to be engaged by thev dog G,the operator may:then wind up the spring. Upon the completion of the winding operationthe operator while still grasping the knob forces the pointed end of thetapering pin upon the floor or other surface on. which the top is to bespun. This action causes the spindle to -move downwardly releasing theratchet wheel F, from engagement -with the dog G, whereupon the top willspin on its pivot pin as will be readily understood.

The spring actuated dog J-concealed in the knob-serves to connect theknob with the spindle in order that the latter may be turned to wind thespring. Upon the spindle being shifted longitudinally-as beforeexplained-to release the ratchet gear F from engagement with the dog G,the 'knob will be free to turn upon the/ spindle evendif still held bythe operator, without danger. of breaking'the spring. This will bereadily apparent from the fact that when the spring is wound up byclockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel F is in engagement with the pawlG and it is desired to wind up the spring the knob is grasped by theoperator and the top is heldby one hand while the knob is rotatedclockwise with the other hand. This will rotate the spindle under theaction of the knob and. the spindle and spring will be held againstbackward Inovementby the ratchet whe;l F and pawl G.

-In this manner the top may be wound up as tightly as desired and whenit is desired ,t0 spin the top the spindle is'shifted longil I tudinallyto disengage the ratchet wheel from the pawl and the to'p will operateas heretofore explained. n u

Having thus described my invention what I lclaim is:

1. In a device of the character described;

a" body portion fitted with a'pivot pin; a

longitudinally movable and .rotatablev spin- ,'dleextending through thewall of the top land supported' at its inner end uponl the pivot pin,the outer end of the spindle being fitted with a knob for manuallyrotating the latter; a helical spring having its outer end connectedwith the wall of the top and its inner end with the spindle; a ratchetwheel mounted upon the spindle, and a dog adapted to engage theu ratchetwheel, whereby thespring may. be held under tension while beingmanually'wound, said spindle being adapted to be manually shifted torelease the ratchet wheel. from the engaging dog, wherebythe spring mayactuate thev top, and mechanism for clutching the knob to thespindlewhen theknob is .manually rotated and for unclutching the spindlefrom the knob when the spindle isl actuated by the helical spring.

2. In a device of the character described; a body portion fitted withvatapering pin having a socket at its upper end; a rotatable andlongitudinally movable spindle having one end extending intosaid socket,theother end of the spindle extending above the body of the top; a knobfitted to the upperend of the spindle for manually rotating the latter;

a helical spring, having its outer end secured to the body of the topand its inner end projecting through an elongated slot yin -the spindlefor engagement with the latter;

a ratchet wheel secured to the spindle; a spring actuated dog adapted toengage the ratchet Wheel upon' manually .shifting the spindle in onedirection and -to release the ratchet wheel upon shifting the s indle inthe oppositey direction; means a apted to connect the knob with thespindle for Winding the spring and to be automatically re.- leasedtherefrom. upon the top Starting to spin, Without removing the knob fromthe spindle.

3. In a device of vthe character described; a chambered body portionprovide of a spindle; a longitudinally movable and rotatable'spindlehaving vone end fitted into said socket and its opposite end extendinglthrough the Wall of the top; a knob fitted to the projecting end of'saidspindle; a helical spring housedwithin the chambered bodyportion securedat one end tothe Wall of the top its opposite end projecting throughchambered' body portion; arspring actuated dog adapted to ,engage saidratchet Wheel When'the spindle is manually shifted in one direction 'andto be released romengagewith ar pivot pin having a socket to receive theend menttherewith upon shifting the longitudinally movable spindle intsopposite direction a knob fitted to the projecting end of thespindleprovided with means Afor auto matically engaging the spindle, wherebythe latter may be manually rotated to Wind the helical .spring and forreleasing the spindle from engagement with the knob upon the top beingrotated by said helical spring,

Without removing the knob from the Spindler 4. In a device ofthecharacter described, a body portion, a'rotatable, longitudinallymovable spindle mounted in the body 'por-v tion, a helical springconnected at one end with the body portion and at the other end with aspindle, ratchet mechanism for holding the `spring under tension whilebeing lmanually Wound by the spindle, a vknob permanently mounted onthe. upper end ofthe spindle, and clutch mechanism for clutching theknob to the spindle when the knob is manually rotated for winding thespring,

said clutch mechanism being .arranged to j unclutch the spindle from theknob when the spindle is actuated by the spring.

In testimony whereof, "I sign this specification. -f

JOHN J. Esrnn.'

